News

As the countdown to the closing of Vermont’s Higher Ground continues, a number of area performers convened at the club for the Vermont Easter Jam. Following regularly-scheduled performances by numerous artists including Jamie Masefield & Paul Asbell (interpreting the music of Django Reinhardt as Masefield has done of late with Marc Ribot) and the Unknown Blues Band, a slightly attenuated version of the Trey Anastasio Band took the stage. The guitarist was joined by those who live proximate to the club, many of whom had appeared earlier in the evening: Dave Grippo, Jennifer Hartswick, Russ Lawton, Tony Markelis, Andy Moroz and Ray Paczkowski. Then, following versions of ‘Push on till The Day,’ ‘Drifting’ and ‘Small Axe,’ members of Phish joined in one at time over the three subsequent songs, with Page McConnell appearing for ‘Last Tube’ Jon Fishman adding snare to ‘Sultans of Swing’ and Mike Gordon playing on bass on ‘Sand.’ During ‘Sand,’ Anastasio’s TAB bandmates departed, leaving the four members of Phish on stage to conclude the tune and then offer a take on ‘Chalkdust Torture.’ Fishman, Gordon and McConnell then temporally stepped away, as members of the Trey Anastasio Band returned for ‘Flock of Words’ and ‘Plasma’ before re-emerging to join in for a fitting cover of Steve Wonder’s ‘Higher Ground’ (with Seth Yacovone and Jamie Masefield). The evening served as a benefit for the Winooski Parks & Rec. Department along with Women’s Rape Crisis Center and the Child Life Department at Fletcher Allen Hospital